Mihail Cotorobai: Despite the statistical data of the Prosecutor General and the Office of the Ombudsman attesting in recent years a decrease of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, this phenomenon still awakens concerns. The conditions of detention in prisons in Moldova reached the minimum level of severity necessary to constitute inhuman and degrading treatment.

On the occasion of International Day for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims, the Ombudsman reminds the authorities and public opinion the main issues in prisons - overcrowding, hygiene, quality and insufficient quantity of food, lack of adequate medical care. Mihail Cotorobai points: the conditions of detention in prisons in Moldova have not improved significantly and reached the minimum level of severity necessary to constitute inhuman and degrading treatment.

The Ombudsman argues that although the law sets out standards of detention and condemns inhuman or degrading treatment, there is no effective mechanism allowing authorities a substantive examination of complaints about conditions of detention and the provision of adequate and sufficient ones.

Mihail Cotorobai advocates the promotion of house arrest and the reconstruction of detention facilities; the implementation of a preventive and compensatory system to ensure effective remedies for violations of the law and international treaties resulting from improper detention conditions.

The Ombudsman also warns that, from July 2015, the economic crisis stopped financing capital investments, making it impossible for infrastructure development in places of deprivation of liberty, including development and implementation of plans for construction / reconstruction of premises, according to policies adopted.

Also, the Ombudsman recalls the obligation assumed by the State to ratify the UN Convention against Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and to ensure in its legal system in such way, that the victim of an act of torture has the right to obtain reparation and to be compensated in a fair and proper manner, including the means for rehabilitation as complete as possible (Article 14).

The Ombudsman also notes that despite the statistical data of the Prosecutor General and the Office of the Ombudsman on the decline in recent years of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, this phenomenon still awakens concerns.

Thus, acts of ill-treatment or torture continue to be methods of "work" in police inspectorates, sectors, police stations, in most cases, as shown by the complaints, ill-treatment are applied to suspects, suspects accused as criminal offenses or convicted of criminal offenses.

The Ombudsman says that preventing and combating torture, inhuman and degrading treatment has been and remains a priority in the work of the Office of the Ombudsman.

Mihail Cotorobai also notes that last year the prevention of torture was carried out by the Ombudsman and Office officials, although the institution went through a reorganization process. In 2015, employees of the Office of the Ombudsman conducted 68 visits in institutions under the authority of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and Family.

The main weaknesses identified during the visits, which were mentioned in the notices sent to those authorities are the same as in previous years: overcrowding in prisons; insufficient lighting of the detention facility; poor conditions in temporary detention places of the police; lack of minimum conditions for the delivery of healthcare institutions subordinated to the police; insufficient insurance of persons held in prisons and remand centers with mattresses, pillows, clean seasonal clothing, etc. In two cases the Ombudsman concluded that the nature of human rights violations to be examined under the rules of criminal or disciplinary accountability of officials.

Last year, the Ombudsman submitted to different institutions 15 opinions recommendations to improve behavior towards inmates and take disciplinary measures against people in positions of responsibility who have committed irregularities which have fundamental human right violation.

In most applications of the petitioners, were alleged inadequate conditions of detention in prisons no. 13 (mun. Chişinău), no. 15 (Cricova), no. 17 (Rezina).